India’s new vice-captain, Shubman Gill, has already started his media presence, which he already does anyway, ahead of the T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Shubman Gill Rates Gautam Gambhir As A Coach
In the interview, he heaped praise on the new head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the new T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav.
“Though we’ve had only two brief practice sessions together, his (Gambhir’s) intent and communication have been remarkably clear. In that short time, he has demonstrated a keen understanding of what each player needs to succeed and a clear vision for how to help them achieve their goals,” said Shubman Gill.
“They (Suryakumar and Gambhir) share a similar mindset and approach to the game. Having played under Suryakumar’s captaincy in South Africa, I’ve witnessed their aligned understanding firsthand. This will be brought to the field, producing great results for the team,” he added.
Gill, who has been in terrible form across the year, was elected as the vice-captain for both the T20I and ODI formats. This raised a lot of criticism and even claims of favoritism in Team India’s selection. The criticism was also evoked for one more reason. Hardik Pandya, who was already the vice-captain of India, and had an amazing T20 World Cup run, was not only given his deserving captaincy but also removed from the vice-captaincy.
India’s chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, later came up with an explanation that cricket lovers see as unsatisfactory. Agarkar said that Pandya’s fitness concern is what cost him the position, and the team is looking to give Gill the captaincy experience as he is a three-format player.
“Shubman Gill is the guy we feel is a three-format player. Has shown a lot more qualities over the last year, that’s what we hear from the dressing room. He has shown some decent leadership qualities. We want to try and give him the experience.”
“He (Hardik) is still a very important player for us, and we want him to be the player that he can be because those sorts of skill sets are very difficult to find. Fitness has been a challenge for him over the last few years, and then it becomes a bit more difficult for a coach or even us, the selectors.”
“Now we have got a bit more time until the next T20 World Cup, where we can look at a few things. It is not rushed at the moment. He is an important player for us, and performances are more important. That was the thought behind it. Fitness is a clear challenge, and we want someone who is likely to be available more often than not,” he said.
When Will the India vs Sri Lanka Series Start?
The India vs Sri Lanka series will start on 27 July with the first T20I being played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy
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